Mine
by demeter11
Summary: Giles discovers Buffy in Los Angeles but is not there to retrieve her but instead help her live more comfortably while she comes to terms. However, things become complicated when mutual attraction born out of a deep need for one one bores its head. Also, Buffy runs into a childhood acquaintance, Odessa with a few secrets of her own.
1. Ch 1- I Remember You

Mine

demeter11

Disclaimer- Clearly this belongs to anyone but me, the anyone happens to be Joss Whedon and Warner Bros and whoever has claim of the rights that is not me.

spolier warnings- takes place after 02.22 episode- Becoming Part 2.

Giles fondly remembers the first time he met the slayer while she has a guilty fantasy about him.

**Chapter 1- I Remember You**

Giles thought about the first time he had met Buffy. What he remembered the most was the dress she had on. It came below her knee. It was a blue and white plaid with a little apron with a Raggedy Ann image sewn to it.

Her hair was still a chestnut shade of brown then in low pigtails she insisted on doing herself- her eyes ever so light green, the corners always slating downward with a smirk on her pouty lips. She had not become vain enough then to make her eyes look bigger without eyeliner and subtly bucking them. She was a little girl- all of seven years old or as she said it, "I am not seven. I will be eight years in January."

He was barely in his mid-thirties. It was late nineteen eighty-seven.

He wore no glasses then. He was thinner if not more muscular. His now dusty brown hair with wisps of gray- lighter and longer falling into curls in his handsome but then sweet face. It had not been hardened by well, battle. He posed as her second grade teacher going by Edmund "Ed" Fairweather- his middle name and his mother's maiden name respectively.

He spoke with an American accent as warned by Travers, "There is a chance you may become her watcher. She cannot be allowed to recognize you later on. This will forge an automatic distrust."

His real reason, he knew the young man was attractive and would be hard to forget. Nearly every woman he came in contact with wanted a piece of him. He just had it like that.

When he walked into her classroom that day he had the audacity to be nervous. He had never been around a slayer before. And after all, he had been the one who predicted her rising. He only deemed it right he double check his findings himself. After all, he had been born to be a watcher, to watch after her as she been born to slay.

Such a silly name for such a powerful being, he thought. Even now she had just recently became a person to him.

"Zach Posey, William Ramsey, Ben Reggie, Buffy Summers," he said all the while seeing the child in the front row.

She was the only child bold enough to leave her desk and greet him. The rest were more or less either afraid, nervous or ambivalent because as one child put it, "I did not know they made boy teachers."

She offered her hand said, "That is me."

Her grin showcased her missing front teeth. He smiled back and shook her hand but still looked at her sideways.

With their hands still touching, he pulled her close. If it had been anyone else she would have cried stranger danger but she innately trusted him.

He said two words to her, "The Master."

She kicked him in the shin without thinking and said with a frown, "The big meanie."

He smiled wide. He could not have been prouder.

He watched her for a semester. During that time, she became a bit of a teacher's pet.

One time in passing, she referred to him as, "Mine," to his face. She even kissed his cheek.

He reprimanded her for her overt affections.

He made her feel little girl shame but her feelings were not hurt for long. They overrode by her need to help.

Later that day, she observed Giles choking on a dry sandwich. She ran over to him and hit his back with her tiny fist then offered she had an unopened juice box.

"You want my fruit punch?"

He composed himself and replied, "No, little lady, but thank you," he said gaining composure.

"You sure? What I got is yours if you want it," her face urged him to take it strongly. He accepted.

He could have left that day. Buffy was the next Vampire Slayer. Regardless, he stayed because he wanted to be around her but for pretense sake, ran her through all the tests.

One of which was an obstacle course or sorts. He basically batted his eyelashes and convinced the dried up old frog of a principal to allow it. He never let on but he was acutely aware of his looks and the effect that had on people.

Nearly two hundred children attempted to complete whole obstacle course. But, only three did- Buffy of course, her classmate, Ben and his adopted older sister, Odessa, a third grader.

Later on, he asked the kids to draw a weapon of their imagining, she drew the slayer blade all, red and gray and axe-y.

"Why an axe, Buffy?" He asked.

"I dreamed about it. It belongs to me," she hunched rather satisfied.

"Really?" He was intrigued. He had never knew someone so young could be so self- possessed.

"Yep. In my dreams. I see you, too. You watch me," she said matter of factly.

"I do?" He asked with a huge smile. For the first time in his life he really felt like he was on the right path. That he like she were both born to be a part of something larger than themselves.

"Uh-huh. With glasses."

Giles returned to now. It had been three days since his had found the young woman in Los Angeles.

Knelt on his tweed jacket with his striped shirt rolled up to his elbows. He was sweaty and uncomfortably hot on the asphalt rooftop.

"Eighty degrees, my ass," he grunted observing Buffy. This was second nature to him now.

It had been five weeks since she tucked tail and fled in what he surmised had to have been a bus.

Through his binoculars his slayer was bigger than life; she was eight stories below him in pigtails and clad in a dress just barely below her knees and an apron. He chuckled at the coincidence.

Giles could tell by her cautiously slow gait she felt his presence one way or another.

"Come on, young lady, I know you can sense you are being watched," he said not wanting to be seen necessarily but to wanted to be sure still had the will to protect herself.

Buffy stopped in her tracks and looked up. He ducked down quickly and laughed.

"That is my girl," he smiled.

Buffy saw him. He had been on her mind most of the day.

An hour before, Buffy woke up with the overwhelming urge to blow off a little steam. She reckoned she had two choices- go out for a jog or masturbate. With thoughts alternating between Brendan Fraser as George of the Jungle and Pierce Brosnan as well Pierce Brosnan, she chose the latter.

Halfway there and imagining the black haired, blue eyed Irishman practicing the alphabet when suddenly he morphed into the very English,

"Giles?"

She stopped for a minute and felt downright like a pervert. She could see his face clear as day- especially his eyes which looked up at her with wanton anticipation and his mouth which was busy doing something other than reminding her of her responsibility.

Hesitantly, she imagined him gliding up her body and just like that they were face to face. He whispered some veddy, veddy British sweet nothing in ear and brought his lips to hers. She could smell him and taste him. They were kissing now.

He would be warm and his lips soft, she thought.

She knew he had to be good at it and probably a little freaky given his rebellious past. And secretly, she always found him a little a sexy especially she found out about the darkness in him. She would never admit she had a type. Plus, he was easy on eyes for a blatantly older guy. And had an accent and secretly, she always goosebumped a little whenever said her name.

However, she still felt guilt thinking about him like in that way. She retreated back into daydream with the excuse, "This is never going to happen."

Returning to her fantasy, she swore she felt him open her.

I bet he's hung, she pondered with a giggle. He is too sure of himself, she finished.

The shock of going there broke the illusion for a moment. She until she realized her lady become a little more sensitive at the notion. She absolved herself of shame and her hands resumed their work at a quicker pace.

Twenty minutes later, she reached orgasm twice easily.

Once the bliss of release faded, she burst into tears as she realized something. She sorely missed him almost as much as she did Angel. It just hurt.

After all, she knew he accepted who and what she was implicitly if nothing else it gave his existence meaning-unlike her mother and unlike her friends his world actually did revolve around only her even if he did not always understand or like her motives. He cared for her. She was not about to admit it was love.


	2. Ch 2- I Am Not Here to Bring You Home

Chapter 2- I Am Not Here to Take You Home

Giles finds Buffy in Los Angeles but is not there to retrieve her but instead help her live more comfortably while she comes to terms. However, things become complicated when mutual attraction born out of a deep need for one bores its head.

Also, Buffy runs into a childhood acquaintance, Odessa with a few secrets of her own.

Due to a lack of air conditioning, she took a cool shower and dressed for work. She made two pieces of toast that she ate quickly during her six mile trek to work. She liked the distance. It gave her time to dwell on her mistakes; making self-pity a breeze.

It was the third day she felt followed.

She felt eyes burning the back on her head so much so she damn near wanted to check for blisters.

She was looking over her shoulder when she collided with someone in front of her. They both got knocked down. "Sorry. I am usually super aware girl," she said not looking at her as she got on her feet.

"Ow. I think I twisted my ankle. Not your fault," the young woman said rubbing her ankle.

Buffy looked down at her unintentional victim and her mouth flew open.

"Odessa?" Buffy asked glad but confused to see her. They had been next door neighbors and best friends as children even though she was a couple years older than Buffy.

"Summers? I thought I would never see you again. A little help?" She held out her hand.

Buffy lifted her up like she was picking her purse off the floor.

"Damn, girl. You been drinking all the milk and eating all the Wheaties. But, then again you were always a little cockstrong," she smiled warmly.

"Your ankle?"

"It is fine. You know I have low pain threshold. You remember how I freaked out when we decided to become blood sisters You okay?"

"As I am going be. But, you. I thought. After you moved, you no longer called me or wrote. Then I heard you -"

"We will talk about that later. Hugs!"

Odessa hugged her tightly and when she pulled away she held her shoulders and looked at Buffy as if she wanted to tell her something but could not remember what.

Instead, she asked, "Why are you here?"

Buffy replied, "Hell, why are you?"

"Touché. Last week, I felt a pull here. Like I had to come, you know? Plus, I and my band have a gig. So," she hunched.

"I am not surprised. You always had the most beautiful singing voice. When I sing I sound like someone's kicking a bag of cats that has been set on fire."

"It is not that bad. You are just tone deaf."

"If you say so. How is Ben?" She smiled and rubbed her hands together when she asked about him. He was her first crush.

"Good. He is the band, too. He talked about you the other day."

"Really?" She blushed.

"I have been thinking about you too a lot lately. Not in a creepy, every rain is a baptismal way but I wonder how my old buddy is sort of way and does she think of me, too? You think of me, too?" She glowered in hopes she had not talked too much.

Buffy did not answer directly and said, "When and where do you guys play? I am surprised your mom let you and Ben out of her sight."

"I am nineteen. I basically do what I want. She knows I have Ben's back. But, you," Odessa gave Buffy a knowing look. She knew she had ran away.

"We'll talk about it later," she replied.

They stood awkwardly in silence for about two minutes before Odessa said casually, "You seem different."

"You do not," she said.

"Oh, but I am in ways fundamental, I am. I know you are too," she paused and gently elbowed her as she asked, "You are not hooking, are you?"

Buffy scoffed pointed at herself, "I have on a waitress uniform. I am not selling ass. Why would you assume that?"

"I was not judging if you are. You do what you got to live. Young, pretty girl on her own. Maybe you got mixed up in something bigger than yourself that you had no real control over. Or least that was what you have been told. I can relate."

"I sincerely doubt it."

"That has always been your problem. You think your problems are yours to bear alone."

The blonde thought about what Odessa said and found no argument except to say, "You cared so much you left me." she did not hide how badly it hurt her. She was warned only two days in advance. She sniffed at her. Not caring if her estranged friend followed her or not.

A minute passed and they decided to walk together. More accurately Odessa followed Buffy.

"Look, Elisabeth," she said intentionally trying to get a rise out of her.

"I told you when we first met never ever to call me that ever. No one calls me that. Not even my 'rents call me that."

"Buffy. Sounds like a sexual favor. Tori gives the best buffys," she laughed.

Even Buffy had to laugh at that one.

"I was always the funny one," she smiled widely.

"Hey, I have my moments. But, we were always good together," Buffy said remembering her fondly.

"The checkerboard twins," she nudged.

"What happened? I never really understood why you had to go away on such short notice. You were not my only friend but after you left everything changed. I tried to call you and tell you but-"

"I am sorry. Later. We will talk about it later."

"Sure," Buffy was not sure why she did not evade Odessa or why she agreed to meet with her. She had made a promise to herself to fly solo. She knew being by her side meant danger.

Still they traded information and both having other things to do went their separate ways.

Buffy was glad to have seen her but could not help but feel a little unsettled by the whole thing. She heard she was dead.

As she continued on to work she resumed looking for her stalker. Surely, it had not been imagined it nor could it have been Odessa.

Could it have been? Nah. No way, she thought.

The energy she felt was most certainly male. She turned around and focused on the abandoned factory. At the roof in particular. Giles had ducked down and hoped she had not saw him. She had or at least thought she did.

"I have Giles on the brain," she huffed before suspending her suspicions and continuing on to work.

She was in no hurry to get out on the floor, instead she helped the short order cook.

An hour in, her co-worker, Marjorie got her attention.

"There's a good-looking fella with a fancy accent asking about a young, very attractive blond woman who has a funny way of saying okay. You came to mind."

Buffy shook her head and thought, Ugh! Is today this is your life Buffy Summers? Who is next my hottie second grade teacher? Hell, that would not be that bad.

"Was he older, wore glasses. Tall? And by fancy, you mean English, Marge?" Buffy asked on sigh.

She nodded.

"Ex?" Marjorie asked.

Buffy tilted her head and replied, "In a matter of speaking."

Kate's eyes grew wide and said, "I knew you had a darkness in you. Is he your pimp? Want me to get RJ to throw him out? Is he the reason you ran? He looks like he could be mean S.O.B. if he wanted."

"Oh, my goodness. What about me says cracked out street ho? I am not a pro. He's not my pimp. If anything he worked for me. He would not hurt me. I will go out."

"If you say so. I will tell RJ to keep an eye out anyway."

"Okay," she peeked out the small window in the kitchen door. There he sat in his four-eyed handsomeness nearly unrecognizable in a white linen shirt tucked into light blue jeans held in place by the belt he always wore.

Buffy' cheeks burned as the dirty thoughts she had about him earlier flooded back. She shook that off and became angry at the realization he had been following her.

Damn it. I thought I had been careful, she thought.

She took the pen from behind her ear and straightened out her apron before hesitation stopped her.

Her boss gave her a get your ass out there look and there she went.

Her steps were furtive as their eyes met. She was expecting to see judgment on his face not sympathy.

Now up close, she noticed his pierced ear. She was not surprised by it. Her objective first thought was that he looked attractive, hot even. She shook this off and waited for him to speak.

She looked at his shoes. They were not his usual loafers. He had on expensive tennis shoes. She then remembered his reply to a comment she had made while they were patrolling.

"Only basketball players and men under the age of twenty-one should wear trainers, other than that, have some pride and wear some real shoes."

"Trying to blend in," he said reading her quizzical expression.

"Unless this is about today's specials, we have nothing to talk about, sir."

"Buff-"

She pointed to her nametag.

"I am not calling you your middle name," he said defiantly.

"Then I guess you'll starve, huh?" She walked away.

"Anne, can have the special, I guess?" He rolled his eyes.

Buffy smirked, "Sure, Mister Man, you can have all the two day old recycled garlic potato chowder you can stomach."

"I will just have ham sandwich then and a piece of pie. I guess," he hunched heeding her warning and taking off his glasses. One the pads was wearing down and had been irritating the bridge of his nose as of late.

In those scant seconds, the sun had angled in and had caught his eyes just right. They were a light murky green like the tea and just as warm.

She also saw something else there- a glint of desire aimed at her. She had seen it once or twice maybe three times before. She always ignored it and wrote off as anything but what it was. An invitation to feel what she always had- attraction. She always wrote it off as a little girl crush. One a girl often gets when she is around a smart and kind older man who takes an interest in her who isn't her father.

Coming out more sexual than she meant it to, "How do prefer your pie?"

He snorted and rubbed his pierced ear and said, "However, as long as you are the one who serves it to me."

She blushed and all but ran to the kitchen.

She placed his order and took others as usual.

Twenty minutes passed.

She took a deep breath and went back to the floor.

He was still there reading the newspaper looking concerned.

As Buffy laid down his food she asked very quietly, "How are they?"

"Intermediate," he responded.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"They are doing your job and missing you. We all are."

"Oh. Why? I thought you all hated me."

"Hated you? You have proved yourself selfish. That is true. That just means you are a teenager. But, none of us could ever hate you. Hell, Cordelia takes up for you more than anyone."

"Now I know you are lying. Just go away. What about my mom?" She pouted all desire going away.

"She wants you home. I have gotten to know her. The similarities in personality are remarkable."

"Well, she is my mom. Who else would I be like?"

"You would be surprised."

"Nothing surprises me anymore. She told me do not come back. Who am I to defy her? Go away, Giles. I am a new person with a new life. I do not need you."

He grabbed her wrist and said, "Aren't you curious?" His eyes leered at her with a question.

"As to what?" She asked.

"How I found you," he let go.

"I take it the council schools its watchers well in the art of stalking," she said putting whipped cream on his pie.

He grabbed her wrist again.

"Believe it or not, I have been a teenager. I know how it is. I am not here to bring you home, Buffy, but help you cope with why you left in the first place. You will come back when you are ready."

"So, no come back, you are the slayer, Sunnydale needs you?" She expected to be reproached.

RJ came out to access the situation. He was black and burly like Tiny Lister.

"We cool, RJ," he said taking Buffy by surprise.

"All right, Rupert. Let me know if the slayer gives you any trouble," he said walking away mindfully.

"What? You hired him? He knows what I am?"

"He is as American watcher. I asked him to keep an eye out once I figured out where you were. He is also my second cousin once removed. It did not take much," he said coolly.

"You just got an eighth cooler," she said doing the brain math for them to be cousins.

"A quarter. I think I am a quarter? I think my mother may have been half Jamaican or Punjabi. She was always cagey about it. She was dusky and had this thick, I guess I would call it woolly corkscrew auburn hair that she kept pulled back in a high sideways bun like a crown," he was a matter of fact.

She shook her head.

"I just learned more about you in the past five minutes than I have the whole time you were my watcher. We are done. Done," she said insulted at all the times he could have shared some of his life with her.

She walked away. He got up after her.

"Buffy, we need to talk. You know we do. I am not leaving until your shift is over."

"I got to be here five more hours," she rolled her eyes trying not to notice how well his street clothes fit him.

She had never thought of him as strapping before.

"You are in luck. I have nothing else to do," he said looking her up and down with no restraint or room for doubt.

He's checking me out, she thought. The idea flattered her and elicited a coy half smile and an involuntary batting of the lashes.

"Well, in that case, I will be sure to keep you in pie," she flirted back.

The next five hours passed quickly.

He left first to avoid suspicion. After all, she still had the work there and the last thing he wanted was for her to get a reputation for leaving with customers. He left her what he owed and a ridiculous tip.

"Three hundred dollars?" She asked.

She stuffed the money into her apron then read the note.

Meet me by the depot. I will be standing outside the rental Continental.

P.S. Don't attempt to give me back the money. I will be insulted.

She changed out her uniform and went out the back. For some reason, she felt slightly afraid of him. She was not prepared to be talked into anything. The way she felt at the moment, he could probably talk her into anything.

She made up her mind she was not going to meet him.

Instead, she wanted to run for two reasons- she did not want to face what she had done. And secondly, she did not want to be alone with him. She had been fancying getting him in bed all morning and knew by the way they had been looking and speaking to one another it great possibility it could happen. She figured she made enough bad decisions to last her a lifetime.

She ran back to her rat hole studio apartment and packed her bags. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see him there.

"Really?"

"I knew you were not going to meet me so I figured I would beat you here."

"Why? Trouble follows me. You should stay away. I am obviously not cut out for this shit. Hell, I got another slayer murdered. Why do you want me to come back? I am pretty sure another slayer has been called.

I dreamt about her. She has dark hair, cute as a button in the face but kinda skanky but could be no more fifteen to save her life. Go help her or help the chick that's helping her. I don't want to do this anymore," she stomped her foot and sent a crack through the floor that traveled halfway up the wall.

"Unless, you want this building the collapse around us. I advise you don't do that again."

"Oops. Who in their right minds gives a teenaged girl the strength of hundred men anyway? That is stupid. One hissy fit and I could bring down a whole building."

"Ten. Twenty if you go spare," he scoffed.

"Whatever. More than one. Does that mean angry?" She leaned against the counter now. Her svelte little body on display through her uniform.

He nodded then continued.

"Besides, you do not listen. I never said I was bringing you home this time. Three weeks have been gone by? I know you are not ready."

"So, why are you here?"

"To help you. Speaking of which, I never saw you eat or even take a break so I stopped and got you something to eat," he walked toward her and reached over her, his body pressing his against hers in the process to grab the crumpled white paper bag and medium diet pop he got her before she made it there.

He avoided eye contact but looked right at him. She knew he was not ugly. She saw how all the lady teachers batted their eyes and fawned at him. If nothing else she knew he was used to a lot of female attention by because by and large he ignored them with the notable exception of Miss Calendar. She would not admit it at the time but she was painfully jealous of Miss Calendar if nothing else Buffy was an only child she saw her friends as hers and does not really like to share.

Still, she never let herself really look at him like a dude for more than a couple seconds at a time. But, today was different.

She placed her hands on his sides. She always liked the way men felt in her hands. She was surprised at how tight and firm his body felt.

Most of all the heat she felt coming off of him.

"You are so warm," her hands slid up and down his sides.

The lightness of her touch she surprised him and goose pimpled his flesh. He imagined her being gentle took a tremendous amount of will and control.

"I can imagine you are not used to that," he said referencing the pretty bloodsucker. He was finally looking her in the eyes now.

He leaned in a little bit closer and as a result her legs involuntarily spread a little.

"It is amazing how easy it is to get used to something," she said a whisper more about their flirtation that day than Angel.

"Isn't just?" He replied pulling away from her and presenting her with the food.

"The food there is gross. Thank you," she said accepting the bag and purposely touching his hand.

"Yet you served it to me with abandon."

"Revenge for all those times you made me read when I wanted to party," she whined before smirking.

He chuckled before asking, "How did you find this godforsaken place or even afford it?"

"Sexual favors," she said a matter of factly before taking bite of her tuna sub.

"I hope to God you are kidding."

She sighed, "Pretend like you know me. I had money saved and pawned some . . . stuff."

She held her head and shook it.

"You all right?" He asked looking at her sideways.

"I am good."

"You deserve better than this. You saved the world three times. This place is a shithole and unsafe. Not to mention unsanitary," he said watching her closely.

"It is four walls and a roof. It has air sometimes and if I can stand the smell. I feel sleepy. You did some-"

She passed out but he caught before she could hit the floor. He drugged her soda. He knew it was the only way he was going to get her from point a to b without a fight.

He knew the neighborhood was such nobody would much care about seeing an unconscious girl being shuffled into a car.

Two hours passed and Buffy woke up in an unfamiliar place. The air conditioning was on full blast and she was under a soft blanket. The place smelled nice and was cozy. The walls were actually white and not some dingy, greasy smoked stained stucco with obvious patched holes.

The grogginess left her quickly. She saw Giles sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"Well, gee, I just got roofied by my watcher. I am peachy keen. If I come up pregnant, you paying to roto-rooter it out. Last thing I need is a kid. All they want you to do is love them, feed them, school them, keep them alive."

"Don't even joke about that. I would never interfere with you without your permission. I am not a rapist," he frowned.

"So you would interfere with me if I let you?" She smiled teasing and playing with her hair.

He explained almost clinically, "If I had your permission it would not be interference."

Then she chortled and said, "You do want to bang me?"

He turned beet red and stammered, "That is not what I meant. I was trying to say I would never do anything to hurt you."

"Why did you drug me?"

"Because you are stubborn and there is no way you would came here on your own."

"Why not just bring me home?"

"I told you I am not here to bring you home. I just here to make sure you are safe until you decide to come back. Here," he passed her an envelope.

"Your knuckles," she noticed they were swollen.

"I had a confrontation with the manager of that place. After you were out, I packed your things and I found a camera in your shower another pointed at your bed. So, I went down there and lo and behold he was in his backroom watching the footage so I dispatched him and got your money back from the despicable blackguard. It makes me so angry that he attempted to violate you," he rubbed his knuckles when he said that.

"You saw me naked?" She asked.

"That is all you got from that conversation?"

"Yep. Well, no. You defended my honor. Thank you," Buffy was genuine.

"You are more than welcome. Now this is from me," he gave another envelope.

"Ooh, heavy," she smiled.

She opened it. Her mouth flew open.

"Giles, I can't possibly accept this. How much is it?"

"Three thousand dollars. I figured it would be enough to keep you out of trouble. It has two rooms. There is a couch, telly, kitchenette with a full size refrigerator. This is of course the bedroom and the bathroom is that way. And place is paid for the next two months. This is one the nicer extended stay places and it is in a better neighborhood and it is closer to your job. I know you and you would not want to quit. You like feeling useful. Oh, and I filled your refrigerator."

"I do not understand. Why are you doing all this for me especially after all that happened to you because of me?" She was almost moved to tears.

In his mind, he said because I love you but aloud he said, "I am your watcher, it is my job to keep you alive. I also left you some annals about past slayers. In your spare time, you can learn about yourself and others like you. And not feel so alone."

"I am not alone. I got you," she said feeling very happy to know him at the moment.

"You do," he reached out and touched her hand.

"I am hungry. Did you spike my drink or sandwich?"

"Drink."

"With what and do you still have my sandwich? That was a good sandwich," she said.

"Less than a drop of GHB. I put it in the fridge. I will get it."

"Damn right. I still cannot believe you drugged me."

"For your own good," he said with a chuckle.

Feeling mischievous, she threw the cover off and put her hand between her legs.

"Just making sure everything is in place," she cackled.

He wanted to look but his anger at the insinuation made him resist the urge. Instead, he went to the fridge.

"Here," he almost threw it at her. He was thoroughly insulted by what she done.

"Quit being such a girl. You saw it earlier. Not to mention what almost happened that time. Know what? I am going to take a shower first. I am sticky and I smell like coffee and hamburger. What time is it?"

"Just after seven."

"I was out four hours?"

"Yes. I should probably go," he said.

"Why?"

"It's late. It is a five hour drive," he said.

"You owe me. Stay."

"Fine," he said.

"That was easy," she hunched taking off her apron.

"If nothing else, I try to be easy to get along with."

"And if that doesn't work, you drug them, mister fussy pants? You are not living this down anytime soon."

"You would not be you unless you tortured me," he said.

She smirked and went into the shower.

During, he turned on the television in an attempt to block out the fact she was naked and wet mere yards away from him.

Yes, he walked in on the man watching the tapes of Buffy. He indeed get an eyeful. Her body was muscular yet femininely soft covered in peachy buttermilk flawless skin topped with a fresh angelic face with big green hazel eyes and long lashes. She was beautiful and strong and his charge. He knew he had done the right thing for her. The flirtations that day came out of nowhere really. Just like she saw him as a man, he saw her a woman. Seventeen or not. She was more woman than he had ever met.

She came out the shower. She was wrapped in the white towel given her.

Tiny as she was, it wrapped around her barely. She was damp and adorable when she came into the living room.

"In Living Color? I haven't seen that in forever. I had the biggest chuckle crush on David Alan Grier. Great, big breastses. Everything he said made me laugh. Damon Wayans and Jim Carrey tied in a close second. Not to mention Jamie Foxx or Alexandra Wentworth," she giggled.

He looked over at her and his whole world like to implode. She was such a pretty young thing.

"I really, really should go, Buffy," he said standing.

"No. Please, don't leave me. It is late and knowing you you have been up almost twenty-four hours. If you fall asleep at the wheel and crash it would be my fault. I could not live with that," she said sincerely wrapping her wet, hot body around his in a hug.

"Buffy," he moaned pushing her away but not really.

"I need you," she sniffled and hugged him tighter.

"And I, you. I can barely eat and I have not slept much since you have been gone. I failed you. I should have staked his ass the moment I found out who he was. I had plenty of opportunity. He never would have saw me coming."

"Yes, he would have. Then I would have two dead watchers. No thanks. Even you if had succeeded, I never would have forgiven you. I really, really love him," she began to cry now into his chest.

Rocking her back and forth, he said, "It is okay. Let it out." He truly felt sorry for her. He was not going to let his own heartbreak make him cold to hers.

"No, it's not. It is selfish. I am a bad person," she cried even harder.

"Bad people cannot do what you do on a daily basis."

"Moisturize?" She tried to make a joke.

"No, dear heart, literally save lives no matter the personal cost."

"Whatever. My heart hurts but you being here makes it throb less. Now it is more of a dull ache. My god, you are so warm," she nuzzled her face into his chest, almost rooting like a nursing infant for milk.

"You are wet," he chuckled.

"Sorry. Where are my clothes?"

"There are not in the closet?"

She shook her head no.

"I must have left them in my car."

"How very Freudian of you. And you really are a dude after all. So slow on uptake even though a girl is practically screaming at you."

He looked at her puzzled.

She got up on her tiptoes and threw her hands around his neck.

Breathing the same air as him, "You were supposed to say what difference does it make you won't be in them very long anyway or something to that effect."

He turned three shades of red.

"What are you saying? I know what you are saying. That's your grief talking. You do not mean it."

"So what if it is? I am hot, you are hot, why not? We know better than most how not long life is. So, let's make like Wild Horses and do some living before die."

He tore away from her. Conflicted at what he wanted to do. He looked at the girl nearly naked before him and appraising him as she waited for an answer.

She assured him, "Giles, it is okay if you want to."

He looked at her mournfully.

"You are precious to me. It would be taking advantage. You are far more delicate than you realize."

"I am not delicate. Delicate women don't run around stabbing things until they go bye-bye. I want you. Don't you want me?"

"Lux per ignem, me ad cor eius desiderio verissimum."

"And for those of us who did not pay one iota of attention in latin class, huh?"

"That is how I found you. It means by the light of this fire, lead me to my heart's most true desire. So, yes, I want you."

Frustrated, she forced him down on the couch, straddled him and kissed him hard. He did not kiss her back.

She pulled her head away. She expected a look of disapproval but instead met with a smile. This made her contrite.

"Giles, I am sorry. We have been flirting all day and I am lonely. I projected. Please. I-"

"You are not projecting," He took off his glasses and laid them on the lamp stand.

He clutched her face and kissed her gently at first. The clean smell and taste of her turned him on even more. This caused him to slightly hunch against her as he kissed her harder and sucked on her bottom lip. This caused her to gasp out of surprise. She was impressed.

Giles' hands made it to the outsides of her dewy arms. He wanted to snatch the towel off of her but decided against it. He felt he owed her more respect than that.

They separated after a couple more minutes.

"Whoa, dude," Buffy complimented feeling dizzy with anticipation as she put her forehead against his.

"We should not go further than this," he said while the lust in his eyes and the bulge in his pants were saying the opposite.

"You know I am practically naked, right? Or do you need new spectacles?"

"I am well aware. It is just because you want to do something does not mean you should."

Buffy took off her towel and asked, "Why not?"

He kissed her again and this time he let his hands cup her waspish waist. He could not help but marvel at how small she was.

He pulled away and averted his eyes and said, "I got to go get your clothes."

"Why?"

"Because this is rash."

"Don't you want me?" She pouted. Buffy could not help but feel rejected.

"To extent of which I cannot fully express unless I get a naked as you are right now and I refuse to."

"Again why? Why are you trying to be all noble? Most men would kill to have a hot seventeen year old anything throw themselves at them."

"I am not most men."

"I know that is why I want to pretend I am a jockey and you are Secretariat," she put all her weight into it and gyrated against his crotch. She wanted nothing left to the imagination.

He reacted and placed both hands on either side of her slim yet shapely hips. She took the hint and stilled her hips.

"I, uh, did not come down here expecting this. I have no protection," he said.

Buffy laughed.

"That's all?"

"Yes."

"I liked it better when I thought you being noble. I am on the pill. I take it to regulate my stupid periods. So, I am good to go," she hunched against him again feeling his hard-on and said, "Apparently so are you."

"They only work ninety-one percent of the time. Our luck, you will become pregnant as soon as I put it in."

"So be it. They have a pill for that now. Take it within three days and voila no baby."

"I am not going to do anything that may harm you. I am going to go get your clothes so you can put them on. I will stay as you have asked me to but not to take advantage of you. I am not a bastard."

"I want to get mad but can't. I will get dressed on one condition."

"I am afraid to ask."

"Kiss me. You are an awesome kisser," she puckered up.

"No. I know if I do, I will be going out to find that pill tomorrow. Let's get you dressed okay?" He said using her funny little way of saying it.

She snorted getting up.

"Oh, eww," she said looking at what she had done to his lap.

"I should have known. I only get stupid horny right before it happens and then a couple days after. Good thing, you said no," Buffy said.

Giles looked down and saw the blood.

"You got your period," he said with a complete absence of disgust.

He swiped her crevice with his finger and got a fingertip full of blood. She hissed and jumped off him. When she was not looking, he licked the little taste of blood off his finger.

There was still a little warlock left in him from his Ripper days. He tasted something in her blood and saw it. It confirmed what he already suspected. She was his future in a big way.

With a smile on his face and a little scared, he went to his car and got her clothes.

So, he spent the night with her and even slept in the same bed under two separate comforters. Despite this they still snuggled with her head on his bare chest.

He was a lot more muscular and thicker than one would suspect through his clothes. After all, he had to be physically fit to train her. She went to sleep first. Her semi- damp hair drying in loose waves and ringlets and not straight like usual.

She has hair like her mother's, he thought. He already thought she looked like a younger version of her.

He took one of curls twirled it around his finger.

He kissed her forehead and caressed the side of her face. He soon fell asleep.

Morning came. Giles woke up when he no longer felt her. He smelled bacon cooking. He threw his shirt on. He had slept in his jeans.

She had headphones singing terribly along with the first verse of Alanis Morrisette's Uninvited near when he observed Buffy. He saw she had prepared the scrambled eggs ahead of the bacon. He could not help but think to himself doing so had been a bit backwards.

The eggs will be cold, he thought in a pout.

Being honest with himself, nothing about the situation made much more sense.

Regardless, he felt a touch playful when he decided to walk up behind her and tickled her side. She shrieked and threw her headphones off.

"You startled me. I could have burned myself," she frowned.

"Sorry. You sleep okay?"

"Yes. I guess. You?"

"I have not slept that well in a while not since before everything," he said.

Buffy sighed, "Everything. Yesterday."

"Yesterday. It was unexpected," he said.

"I took things too far. I know it is not the first time."

Knowing what time he was referencing, he responded, "A year ago was not our fault. Those idiots sent me the wrong artifact and we both happened to touch it. Then it made us have urges."

"You love your euphemisms. It was all we could do to keep from going at it in front of everybody. It was inconvenient and kind of awesome all at once. But, it wasn't terrible. Terrible would have been if Snyder had touched it first," they both shuddered.

She took the skillet off the coil and continued, "If it had not been for . . . them breaking the statue we would have ended up, you would have been my first."

"It is okay to say their names. Jenny and Angel."

"Well, I kind of wish they had not figured it out. At least if it had been you it just would have been really awkward instead of heartbreakingly terrifying. What was the name of that thing? The Statue of Cetera?"

"Sidero. Cetera is the lead singer of Chicago," he laughed.

"Ugh. Old people music," she said.

He knew she was saying something he did not want to hear but he wanted to get it over with, "What are you saying? I know you are saying something."

"You know how we agreed to never speak of what almost happened that afternoon again?"

"Yes."

"Even though, I never told you this before that thing you did with your tongue right before they showed up? That was the first time I had ever came and was not by my own hand. Not that I do that I touch myself a lot because I don't," she turned around more embarrassed by the admission than she thought she would be given the fact she was just buck naked and menstruated on him hours before.

He stood there trying his best not to be smug or have hurt feelings.

"All I am saying is. You were right. It was rash. Can we forget it happened? And just be normal?"

"Whatever you want," he did try hide how upset he was.

In that moment, he was half-tempted to tell her, "I don't care about a little blood." Take her into his arms and have at it right there on the floor.

"Good. And thank you for being here for me and being a gentleman."

"Always," he opened his arms to her to offer up a hug which she accepted wholeheartedly.

"You are a good man, Giles."

He said without thinking, "If you knew half the shit I done when I was your age and little older, you would not be so quick to say that."

She gave him an incredulous face.

"You ever burn down your school's gym or kill your ex-girlfriend? Hell, your mom's boyfriend? Who happens to be a robot but still."

He wanted to say, have you ever sold your soul to a demon for power, fun and sex? But restrained and said with diplomacy, "Can't say I did."

"See, it can't be worse than that," she handed him a plate of food and made herself one.

He stayed two more days following her to work and back. He felt a bit like a puppy following her everywhere or more appropriately like an old dog going after a bone.


	3. Ch 3- I Want To Know

Giles had been back in Sunnydale mere hours when Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Oz showed up at his doorstep.

They had practically been stalking him all summer hoping to be present if and when Buffy contacted him. That afternoon was no different. They followed him to the library.

He missed his charge something fierce and used that pain to feign scant knowledge about her whereabouts. He was a great liar, a fact he was not proud. Instead, he enlisted their help to organize and cleanup the library for the next school year as half the stacks had been knocked over by Drusilla and her henchman.

"Here's what we know. She is not with her dad or her aunt or uncle. And that is about it. I even tried a locator spell. Nothing," Willow pouted. Oz gave her a pat on the shoulder of compassion.

"What about the council thing-y? Should they have some type of feelers out?" Xander asked.

"They do. But, Buffy is a smart girl. If she does not want to be found, she will not be found. It is as simple as that."

Speaking of the council, they were watching Giles closely and threatening reprimand about how he let the whole situation spiral out of control.

To which he said, "Clearly none of you have ever dealt one on one with a teenager and their heart. If you try to make them choose between you and their heart- you have already lost. The best you can hope for is when they realize what they want is not worth the cost is that it is you they came back to their senses and to you and not some other scoundrel."

That shut them up for a while but still he kept an eye out. He knew he was being watched and what a risk he took to go see her. A risk he was plotting on taking again.

"Got it. All slayers are ninjas with perfect hair," Willow scoffed unable to shake the feeling she was being lied to.

Cordelia scoffed, "On what planet does she have perfect hair? I know girly is gone but damn let's not lie. Do not dress up her memory because she is gone. I hate when people do that."

"You talk as if she is dead," Willow wanted to throw a book at her head but restrained.

Cordelia eyes widened with something close to empathy but ever the realist, she said, "Well, it is a possibility. I hate to say it but it is true. Why else would there be radio silence?"

Xander said Cordelia's name in such a way it sounded like, "Shut up, bitch, before we cut you."

Angered by the insinuation of ineptitude on Buffy's part, Giles replied with too much certainty, "She is not dead."

Willow flounced, "I knew it. You are too calm. You were a wreck last week. I think I even saw you cry. You leave for three days and come back and it is like you do not care anymore. You have seen her."

"I care plenty. It is my job to care. Yes, I spoke to her. I did not see her," he lied.

"Have you told her mom?" Xander asked mad at Giles now too.

"Yes," he said.

That was the truth. He had even begged Buffy to call her mom. She refused.

"Why didn't you tell us? We were worried sick. I was so scared. I wrote a eulogy for her," Willow began to angry cry.

"I don't answer to any of you. And I am telling you now so honestly I do not see the kerfuffle," he said coldly. He hated she could see through him.

Willow yelled in frustration and stormed away.

The reticent Oz had been there all the while and he went behind her but no before he gave Giles a knowing glare. As a werewolf, he could smell the slayer on him no matter how faint.

Xander rolled his eyes and followed dragging Cordelia along, leaving the forty-three year old alone.

Honestly, he was grateful they were gone. The only one he honestly liked any out the bunch was Willow because she was so sensitive, sweet and whip smart. The rest he tolerated because well he was not sure why.

Buffy, he thought.

And he understood Oz Plus, since he liked the redhead how bad he be?

He retreated to his office and dialed the diner where she worked. He had took precautions to make sure it could not be bugged.

Buffy answered in a voice deeper than her own.

"Is Anne there?" He asked speaking with an American accent. He could not be sure about the phone at the diner. As such before he left they developed a code.

"Duh. It is me. You said you would call at four. It is four."

"How long you have been at work?"

"Since eight. I get off at six. Oh. I felt paranoid yesterday like I was being watched. So, I dyed my hair. Now the carpet match the drapes for now," she intentionally wanted him to picture her naked. Just because she wanted them to go back to normal did not make her any less of a cocktease.

He cleared his throat nervously and changed the subject.

"They are not following you. I made sure of that."

"What about Lisa and Milhouse?"

"Following you?"

"No," she scoffed. "How are they?"

"Pissed at me. I showed my hand a little bit earlier. Nelson made talk about you being dead and it did something to me. I had to set the record straight."

"Let me guess they stormed off?"

"Only after I said I do not answer to any of you in my snidest tone," he said.

"Ooh. Your snide tone makes me want to punch you in the face repeatedly. So, storming off is a good option."

"You aren't cross, are you?" He knew he cared about how she felt a little more than he should.

"Since when do you care?" Petulant came natural. At her core was an only child spoiled brat used to getting her way.

"You know damn well I care. You asked me not to say anything but I did. Her implying you were unable offended me. You are nothing if not capable."

"I try. I am lonely though. When will you be coming back?"

He smiled warmly. He was glad she wanted him around.

"I wager you never thought this day would come. You being glad to see me," he said coolly.

"You kidding? I am always glad to see you except the first time. Answer my question."

"About a week."

She let out a disappointed grunt.

"Well, I will call you when I get in. Bye," she said sweetly.

"Later," he hung up feeling a little empty.

All he could do was think about how her lips felt against his, the smell of her, the feel of her skin against when they slept. The way she tasted that time he did that thing with his tongue.

Though they both agreed to never to speak of it again, he thought about the incident daily. The memory of that day made being around her torture because he never thought she would ever see him like that on her own and resented himself because he did her.

He never thought in a million years she would want him too.

It was right then he decided he could not wait a week to see her. He grabbed his keys and left.

Meanwhile, two hour or so later Buffy Sat worried in her studio suite. Giles did not answer when she called. She felt half tempted to catch a bus back to check on him. She could not cope if something happened to him.

However, she decided she was being paranoid and instead went out and bought a cd player boombox and a bunch of cds.

When she went home and popped in Tears for Fears and put Head Over Heels on repeat. One would think that song would make her sad given her situation but if mad her happy in a way at least she experienced a little bit of true love while it lasted. Having to kill him after he regained his soul was painful enough. She wanted to think about the good parts.

Another hour passed. She tried calling Giles again and it went straight to machine.

"Damnit, answer your phone," she unwisely left him a message.

She called two more times before giving up. She went to her closet and pulled the annals he had gave her. They were in chronological order and she picked the one closet to her own time period.

She read about Nikki Wood.

"What an evil son of an asshole," she in reference to Spike.

She kept reading and even wrote a couple things down. She was about to call him again when she heard a knock on the door.

"Unless, you are Sting twenty years ago I advise you back away from the door," she grabbed a stake out her bag and looked out window instead the peephole. She was delighted to see, "Giles."

She dropped the stake and let him in.

"What are y-"

Before she could fully express her surprise, he planted his lips on hers so hard she lost her balance. They both fell haphazardly onto the couch.


	4. Ch 4- We Are Doing This or What?

Five minutes in, she complained of being uncomfortable on the couch. After all, the way they landed caused her leg to tucked under her making her look something like a broken doll.

Giles scooped her up and gently threw her on the bed. He undressed quickly but not before taking out the box of condoms he purchased four blocks down the road because that was when he made up his mind to cross the line. He threw them at her.

For whatever he kept his boxers on. A bit of a redundancy at this point since his ample erection poking out the flap. She laughed at how it swayed as when he came toward her.

He pulled her close and said with his breath hot against her neck,

"FYI, men often find it a touch deflating if you laugh after he takes down his zipper." He twerked her nose.

"I am only laughing because this is a touch awkward. But, mostly because I am happy. I was really curious what your Jolly Rancher looked like. I cannot believe I said that out loud," she said.

"Jolly Rancher?" He laughed.

"I noticed for a while now you stay hard for long periods of time like the candy. They are my favorite next to Tootsie Roll lollipops. I never allude to it. I do not want to embarrass you. Besides, I think it is kind of flattering."

"How many licks?" He put his hand down the front of her panties and began to devour her with kisses again. She moaned and hunched against him.

He made his way on top of her spread her legs open with his hips and she felt his hands creep up and seized the grapefruit sized mounds of soft flesh as his hard on pressed against her middle.

He slid his hands back down and gripped the sides of her panties, silently instructing her lift her heart shaped ass so he could pull them down.

Keen for him to finish what he started with his fingers with his tongue she did so with aplomb.

Damn, he is fast, she thought.

Giles moved down her slower than she anticipated causing the poor girl to writhe and moan. He was a master of the tease.

In doing so, he messed around and gave her the opportunity to think which led to over thinking. Which then careened into, "Giles, wait."

He was just below her bellybutton when he lifted his eyes up and shot her a look of annoyed aggravation usually only reserved for her when she wanted to party instead of slay.

"I haven't showered in two days since I dyed my hair. I can go wash up a little. Last thing I want to do is gross you out."

He shook his head at her and said lasciviously, "Pussy tastes better when it is a little dirty."

Buffy's head like to explode when his lusty words hit her ears.

"I did not even know you knew those words. But that is not really what I meant tonight say," she put her hands over her crotch.

"What do you want to say?" He was genuine curious.

"I know what this is and isn't. I promise I won't be all clingy afterwards like I tried to be after him. So, if you leave afterwards, I understand. I do not have expectations. I will not make any demands of you other than your respect afterwards. I know what this is two people- us strictly using each other for sex. No promises or declarations or devotion. I do not own you nor you me," she was serious. She spoke out of a place of fear and Giles knew this. It broke his heart.

"Remember when Kendra had hidden Angel away and how desperate you were to find him before sunrise?"

"I don't want to talk about that," she huffed.

"Do you remember the fear you had of losing him?" He asked not be cruel but prove a point.

Crying now, Buffy offered pitifully, "Yes."

"That is how I felt when you ran. How I felt earlier. You are a part of me now.

You are wrong. I do belong to you. I left everything and everyone behind to be your watcher. You are supposed to make demands of me and have expectations. Not because you are the slayer but because you are a woman. If you want to use me to feel better, so? I am honored you want to be bothered with me. You can do what you will with the information but that where I stand or lie down as it were." He was careful not to say I love you. He knew those words would shut her down. He wanted it clear she held all the cards or at least let her think that.

She did not know how quite to respond to that especially since she heard what he did not say.

"I, you. This is crazy, isn't it?" She asked grinning nervously moving her hands to his hair. She was having second thoughts.

"In our world compared to what?" He was doing his best to mask his impatience.

"I just do not want to ruin our friendship over this. I mean it is just nudity."

"There is no such thing."

"Way to calm my nerves. No apprehension now. Get off me, moodkiller," she grunted.

He gladly got off her. He frowned at her accordingly and said exasperatedly, "I was about to go down on you and started talking about some nonsense."

He quickly realized it was nonsense to accuse a woman of being nonsensical especially when you desired your penis anywhere near her body.

"Buffy, I did not mean that. I don't want things to become untenable between us either."

"You were taking forever. That was nonsense. Just do the thing," she said opening her legs.

Able to take a hint, he placed himself between her legs and lobbed them over his strong, broad shoulders and dove his head down. He literally had her head over heels.

Soon that taste he had remembered so fondly coated his tongue. She tasted sweet like fresh sea scallops with just a hint of butter sauce.

His appreciation for molten femininity was more than apparent was he methodically alternated between sucking and licking her throbbing little nest of nerves. She let out a sweet little noise something between a wail and a giggle. The type of sound that encourages a lover's ego so they will keep at whatever little indecency.

As he went to town on her, she found it damn near impossible to watch him. She put her hands over eyes.

All the terrible things I have seen, she thought, And I can't look at him eat me.

When he gently pulled on her lady in the canoe, she yelped, "Oh, shit. Do that again."

He obliged.

"Oh, Giles. Keep doing that. Just suck on it," she said breathily.

Her hands went from her face to grabbing his hair with care. She did not want to mess around and grip him too hard and scalp him or fracture his skull.

"Harder," she panted undulating his mouth into place.

Four minutes passed and she climaxed loudly. So much so the neighbor hit the wall in protest. They both found this funny.

Another minute or so went by before he slid up her body, she hid her face. She ever so embarrassed. It was just like her fantasy.

When he got close enough to her face to kiss her, she exclaimed, "Eww. Go wash your face and rinse your mouth out. I don't want to taste me or smell me."

He made no verbal argument just a grunt of aggravated acquiescence. When he returned three minutes later he was surprised the lights were turned out.

Harder than a diamond left outside in the wintertime, he was acutely aware he was erect to be the point of it being a little painful. His desire to be with her was great. He removed his boxers and jumped into bed.

He kissed her like the world was going to end if he did not once he found her in the dark.

"Have you changed your mind again? It is okay if you have," he lied. He would have be quietly pissed but understanding if she did.

"No, I just don't think I can look at you during. Not just yet anyway," she said a matter of factly.

He wanted to question her about it but his man brain had taken over and the only thing he wanted to do was to well, be with her.

"Huh as in here," she searched for his hand and passed him the condom in the dark.

He turned the light on.

"I said no light," she protested.

"I just wanted to look at you one last time before," Giles moved her hair out her face.

"Dude, we are just about to screw not off into battle," she slapped his hand away playfully.

He handed the condom back to her and said in a low growl, "I want you to do it."

He pulled the cover back revealing himself to her. This being only her second rodeo, the remnants of her virginity did not want to look at it head on let alone touch it. But, hell she had touched worst things than the nine inched uncircumcised leaky English cucumber in front of her. It was slightly darker than the rest of him. She grabbed ahold of his johnson with more confidence than she actually had. He winced and another stream of pre-ejaculate came out of him. She forgot boys got wet too. She tore the wrapper open with her teeth. She stroked it a couple times which caused him to whimper and beg her to stop.

"I don't want to finish in your hand," he more eager than ever to park in her garage.

She quit teasing and slid it on him gingerly. He clutched her face and kissed her deeply as she made a reservoir at the tip. He smiled at her and tweaked her nose before turning out the light.

She scooted down and opened her legs. Her heart liked to beat out her chest as she felt him climb on top her. He hovered over her positioning himself just so his weight when distribute over her evenly.

"Are you comfortable?" He asked feeling the heat of her thigh against his aching manhood. It took real willpower to not just dive into her.

"As much I can be. I guess. I just want to get it over with. That came out a little gruff. I want you," her voice came out sweetly at the end. She knew a little encouragement never hurt.

He was so tempted to say I love you thought better of it. He pressed his lips against hers this time pushing his tongue in her mouth a little bit more forcefully than he intended.

Forever, initiative girl she accepted his tongue gladly like does their favorite popsicle. She released it on a gasp as she felt his thick mushroom tip enter her.

She did not hear him inhaled stiltedly. He hissed as he inched himself inside his charge feeling her open and stretch around him.

"Giles?" she asked before he could perform his first pump.

Weary of her tone, he asked, "What, darling?"

She blushed and cooed at being called a pet name by him. Undeterred by this she said more seriously than he ever he had ever heard Buffy say anything that did have to do with Angel or her hair.

"No matter how intense or hot this gets or how much we may actually feel it at the time, we cannot ever say I love you. We just cannot. It would ruin everything."

This had the propensity to hurt his feelings but he did not let it. Instead, he took his annoyance and put it in to his slow but rhythmic movements. Each push a little harder than the last.

Somewhere around the tenth one, she thought, He is certainly not as gentle as Angel. I kind of liked that though.

She let out a strange little chuckle.

"Am I hurting you? Are you all right?" He asked feeling himself calm down a little as her hands clutched his round behind tightly as she steadied herself to move with him.

She honestly liked the heat that radiated from his flesh onto hers.

He buried his face into her neck. His hot, moist breath enticed her nearly as the kisses he peppered on her neck.

She wrapped her shapely legs around his waist and was surprised when well, he fell deeper into her and it hurt. She did not lead on. She knew her healing would kick in sooner than later. Plus, it did not hurt as badly as being thrown against marble and concrete tombstones every other night.

"I am fine. A little more the left though. It feels good," she said a little awkwardly not yet prepared to get any more explicit with him other than the act itself.

He let out an audible scoff.

"Just good? Clearly, I am not doing something right," he growled before taking one of her legs and holding it down putting a touch more power into his thrusts.

"How about now? Still only good? Because from my end you are excellent. But, then again you always are," he said finding a rhythm that elicited deep moans and swears from Buffy.

She had never felt anything quite like it before. . She came with Angel but happened afterwards marred the experience considerably. It was a sort of ache but a pleasurable ache feeling the pressure and friction build; feeling herself actually heal around him and shape to him. Giles felt this too.

His mouth was pressed against her ear when he softly began to say her name as if they were the first few notes of a ballad. It helped him focus and not come right then and there. He wanted to not only impress her but become the barometer that every lover she had after would be judged.

Giles was not selfish or naïve. He outright expected Buffy to sow her wild oats and frankly would have been disappointed if she did not. Lord knows he had and was fairly certain there she was not going to be his last either. However, he wanted to be an option when the day she wanted to settle down arrived.

So, he steeled himself so to speak and continued on his mission. He did not see her as a conquest. After all, if she did not want this it would not be happening. The knowledge of such made him not so much special as chosen. Every person wants to be chosen one way or another.

As he pleasured the dear girl, she held on to him tightly squeezing his upper arms as exquisite sensations edged her closer to ecstasy. She was so distracted by the alien feeling he gave her, she had not noticed his arms were moments away from giving under her vice grip.

"I am not made of granite, dove," he groaned not missing a beat.

She released her grip and clutched the sides of the bed instead.

"Sorry, Giles. Oh, shit, shit. I feel like I got to pee. Dude," Buffy gasped as body involuntarily began to shudder and rock against Giles wrapping her arms around his neck as his dove to tangle her lips with his.

He could not believe how hot, slick and tight her chamber was.

He began to pump erratically as her walls massaged a similar response out of him.

They moaned into the other's mouths as a mountain of sensations overwhelmed them both.

Soon silence followed between them followed. The onliest noise was Orzabal wailing.

A minute passed. He was more or less soft when rolled from on top of her. He let out a loud sigh of contentment. He wanted her to say something first.

Three more minutes passed. He kissed the girl, sucking her bottom lip like he knew she liked in the process. She kissed him back and made a satisfied noise.

Impatient now, he exasperated, "Say something, Buffy."

"I got to go turn that song off," Buffy giggled.

He huffed, "Really? That is all?"

She grunted, "What do you want? What we just did was awesome. So, get over yourself. I am sorry. That was acerbic and I am hungry," she said in a bit of a ramble.

Buffy was not consciously trying to hurt his feelings. Apart of her was so determined not to get her feelings hurt this time that she wanted to act tough. Even though, deep down inside, she wanted to nuzzle him like him like she was a newborn calf that had just imprinted on the first creature it sees.

She did not particularly realize or want to deal with it rather but she wanted to hurt his feelings just because she could. Because she knew he cared about her and loved her even. She found as of late she had been accepting all sorts of darkness within herself.

Giles sighed again.

He said, "Buffy, we can't let our flesh get between us so to speak. I, c- fuck it. I love you. And no matter what I want you. However, I do not want to lose our camaraderie."

"I told you do not say that to me. Who knew? You have a potty mouth," she laughed.

Giles turned on the light now.

Buffy shielded her sweet little face.

"Look at me, Buffy."

She nearly refused. Until she looked out of one eye through her fingers.

"What, Giles?" She asked pouting.

Almost in tears himself, feeling more selfish than he ever had, he inquired earnestly, "Have I hurt you?"

Her pout turned into pear shaped tears. She looked him dead in his eyes and replied, "You could never. I am glad we had this together. You love me and I did nothing to earn it. Only man I could say that about was my dad I thought but he has no time for me. You have time for me always.

The reason why I do not want you to not to say I love you to me is because the last two men I said that to left me one way or another. My dad left me physically and Angel died on me twice. Once metaphysically and the other time literally.

I do not mean to sound like Electra but you are both things to me- you are my parental figure in one way and you are my boyfriend in another way. You are always there when I need you. I also know I am practically the only woman in your life. You and I are made for one another. Maybe nor literally but, you are mine and I am yours. You are my Watcher. I am your Slayer. So, no. You have not hurt me. And no us fucking will not change what we are to one another. Granted, I know that is probably naïve of me but I need you in my life. You green-eyed hussy-man. I need you," she twerked his nose this time and giggled again.

"Buffy. It is all up to you," he said.

She asked in a small voice, "What is up to me?"  
"Where this does or doesn't go," he said before kissing her chin.

She half smiled and pulled the cover back to get up to go the bathroom.

They both looked between her legs and saw the dark red blood on the sheets.

He was surprised she bled to the extent she did. She however was not. She downright expected to bleed given it was only her second time and how enthusiastic he was.

She was less concerned with her bleeding and more so with the black and blue handprint shaped bruises she left on him. She could feel the pools of blood that had just settled under his skin.

"I am sorry. I did not mean to hurt you," they said in unison.

They laughed awkwardly. Then Buffy said, "I am only telling you this once more. You did not hurt me. In fact, I was in the opposite of pain when I almost accordianed you. It must hurt," she moved her hands down to his.

He read the nonchalance on her face and decided on a course of action.

Giles pulled off the used the condom as he jumped out of bed, tying it in a knot and throwing it into the waste basket before he entered the bathroom and softly shut the door. Soon after, she heard water running. She assumed he was washing up.

Leave me here cold and bloody. How thoughtful, she said reckoned in sarcasm.

Out of curiosity, Buffy got up and examined the used prophylactic. She was a weird sort of flattered by the volume of warm seed it contained.

She heard the bathroom door open and she jumped into bed in a flash. After three minutes he emerged. He had washed up slipped his boxers back before motioning for her to get up.

She frowned then hunched then methodically got out of bed pretending to be in more pain down there than she was.

"Oww. It hurts to walk. You are going to have to pick me up," she pouted with a sly glint in her eye.

He half smirked knowing what she was up to but obliged.

She tucked her head in his shoulder and sighed contented as she did so.

He lowered her into the water gingerly as if she was going to break if he sat her down any harder.

"I know it sounds grody for a girl but I was just going to wash up real quick. Why the bath? Not that I am complaining. This is some good bath-age," she laughed playing with the bubbles, blowing them off her hands.

"I thought it would help with the bleeding. Speed the healing or something I do not know. I thought it would be something nice," he said stammering a little and not making eye contact with her.

She blushed and replied, "It is nice. I appreciated it. I appreciate you."

Now he blushed.

"I will go make up the bed. I always get extra sheets in these types of places," he said getting ready to walk out.

She tilted her head asked, "Why shy all of a sudden?"

"What do you mean?" His eyes widened. Apart of him wondered if they had just committed a huge mistake.

No bad decision, he thought. The word mistakes away all personal responsibility. This was a decision that I made, we made. Lord knows if she not want to it would not have happened. Oh, shit.

"Giles, are you there?" Buffy asked splashing water on him.

"Yes. What did you say?"

"I said common sense dictates you would get in here with me. In fact," she stood up. The water made her tight, tan, curvy frame glisten under the florescent lights.

She looked a bit like the Botticelli's Venus albeit minus the Crystal Gale hair or the shell or pretend discretion. She was wanton but still somehow innocent. Most of all she was open to him.

There was a line of sweat in particular that caught his attention beaded down from the middle of her breasts to her downy split. The sight stretched out his boxers.

". . . you can sit behind me so neither will have our backs will be against the faucet."

She declined saying anything about his erection. Her eyes darted down and half-smiled.

"But, if you rather make up the bed than to be in the hot, wet, tight, little . . . tub then I understand," she went to sit back down.

"Do not sit down. Hold on," he dropped his drawers and got behind her and sat down.

She turned to face him before sitting on his thighs and displacing the water and causing it to overflow and quietly trickle to the cheap, gray tile below. Buffy and Giles looked at one another dead in the eyes as if to say are we still good? What will happen after tonight? What do you want from me?

She looked away first and turning her head and making a soft sigh as if she was in deep thought about something. He watched her like one does their favorite movie- very closing remembering everything little thing there is to remember. Absorbing her in case this did not transpire between them anymore.

I will always have the memory, he thought.

She reached back and pulled the stopper to get some of the water out.

"I don't want it to cause a leak below. That happened to me a week ago and it sucked hardcore. Ugh, the smell," she said laying one hand on his thigh while the other held the stopper.

All he could see was her profile. Her whole top half was as such. She had such a pretty profile. He allowed himself to openly admire her downward slanting eyes round, nose pixie-ish, soft lips protruding in a perpetual pout, long, elegant neck, sharp collarbone that led down to perfectly round apricot topped halved melons and a tight flatness of middle that led down to the beginning of most human life test tube excluded.

He kissed her chin and nibbled her ear in appreciation.

She gently tried to pull away and find the stopper but he his grip tightened, he did not want to let her go.

She appreciated this and proceeded to bite his bottom lip.

Without any thinking or preparation, he ignored injured triceps and lifted her by her hips and made an effort not to grunt in pain. He knew he concern would take over and break the mood.

She closed her eyes then with no preamble, they were at it again. Though, he frowned when she closed her eyes. He could not take his eyes off her. The tub was not exactly the comfortable place in the world. With each thrust of her hips they both were somewhere between want and pain. Not the good kind. Five minutes in to it, Buffy stopped abruptly and said, "This is terrible."

"My ass is chaffing. The water is making you dry," he winced.

"One of my legs has totally lost all feeling," she said before laughing.

They kissed each other sweetly before she lifted off him. She turned around and turned the water back on.

Speaking over it, "Maybe this is a good thing. It give us time to sheath your sword before it goes off."

He made a funny face at her like he always did when she said something odd.

"It sounded a touch more elegant when I thought it," she smirked pointing at her head.

"I bet," he moved the wet ends of her hair off her shoulder and grinned weakly. His arms were really hurting. Still, he put them around her and rested his head lightly on top of hers. She nuzzled her head under his chin and cooed placing her tiny paws on his. She pressed her bottom against him. She knew he was still hard but did not really care at the moment even though it made her feel wanted. She liked the simple intimacy of being embraced. Then something occurred to her.

"I am such a bad person," she said thinking out loud.


	5. Ch 5- Tell Me

Buffy implores Giles to divulge information about himself. She founds out they have more in common than either of them realizes.

Disclaimer- Clearly not, mine, Joss Whedon's.

"You are not a bad person. If anyone is, it is me. I am the one who drove over here and practically accosted you. You-"

"Oh, my stars, shut up, dummy," she squealed with affection.

He pshawed at being called anything but Giles but he remained quiet. After all, she had earned the right to be familiar with him.

We both know you cannot force me to anything. Try as you may. Your birthday," she said turning around slightly.

"My birthday? What about it?" He asked puzzled.

"I have never once asked when it was. Wow. That is so selfish. Why do you even tolerate me?" She asked hoping to be disavowed of her self-depreciation. Basically, she was a fishing for a compliment.

"Well, you were away last summer when it happened and it never came up. So much happens all the time. Besides, it is not about me. It is bad enough you found out how I was when I was younger."

"It was a good thing. Showed me there was a human being underneath all that tweed and nobility," she snorted.

He smiled at being called noble. He kissed the top of her head.

Then he continued, "They train us watchers not to get too personal with our slayers-"

"Oh, well. We just pulled a Fonzi and jumped the shark on that one," she interrupted on a giggle.

"This is not a laughing matter to me. Nor should it be to you. If they ever found out what transpired here tonight- only one or two things would happen and I am not in the mood to get into either at the moment.

You have to understand, even though it is never expressly said but we are expected to treat slayers, you, with little consideration; as brawn, grunts, and weapons- as expendable because nothing is more important than the mission. It is impractical and immoral. Above all, it is the very definition of disrespectful. How can you expect someone to have no qualms risking their life for you or stay around if you treat them with no regard?"

"Like you used to do me?"

"I was trying to keep you alive."

"Good job except for that one time," she sighed.

"That was not funny," he grumbled while holding her a little tighter.

"I wasn't laughing. I am just making a statement."

"I don't mean to sound callous but just because this happened, don't think for a moment, I am treating you any differently when it comes to training."

"I know you would not dream of it. Got to get your clothed jollies somehow."

" I have you know I am in fact more easygoing than most."

She let out a boisterous laugh. It was more of a guffaw, really.

"Do not make light. I am serious. They do not want us to treat you all as people with minds and thoughts of your own. Or as young women.

However, you see that rarely happens like that. The ones who wants us to follow those rules do not have the heart or the testicular fortitude to actually have a slayer under their care. Developing protocol and rules about things they know nothing about. Not really."

"Has it passed it yet?" She asked getting back to her question tilting her head back to look at him. She had zero interest in anything to do with the Council.

He decided to be coy and hunched.

"Later on this month? Early August? Was it in June or late May?"

Exasperated, he asked, "Why does it matter all of a sudden?"

Ever point blank, she said, "Since you have been inside me maybe I should know more about you?"

He shuddered at her crassness but knew she had a point.

"Well, I am more like my Gran than not. She was a Watcher as was my father. My father and I did not get on much. My mum was hyper intelligent and beautiful. Ethereal, really. She had one blue eye and one green eye that was hazel around the iris."

"You have her green hazel eye. I remember you said she had redhair with a white streak. And that she was half black or Taj Mahal Indian?"

"You listen to me when I talk who knew?" He laughed.

"I listen to you more than you know. I just do not always do what you say. Instincts and all."

"Well, anyway. . ."

He went on to tell her how his mother joined the council older than most at twenty. How she was a genius when it came to languages, she translated many text considered unfathomable.

She could speak or read just about language she came across. A lot of the books I use, she translated them correctly. I like to think I get my aptitude for learning and trying new things from her. Despite being a linguist, she was not very talkative except to me or my father. Even then you knew she had considered every word. She did not believe in small talk. She had a preternatural sense of time. She never wore a watch but always knew what time it was down to the second. She was also astute at predicting your next move. Which is a little irritating when you want to get into mischief. My mum, well, she died when I was twelve. I do not like talking about her. I know this is irrational but a part of me feels like she left me intentionally. After she gone there was no one around to insist I stay a child and not a Watcher."

"I can relate to that. And I am sorry about your mom. But, let's face it, we cannot help it. Right now, if I got up from here, went outside and suspected a vampire or whatever other random beastie. I would kill the shit of it and go to bed with great big smile on my face because I would know that maybe someone somewhere is alive maybe because of me."

He made an approving grunt which in turn pleased her.

"How?" She asked in reference to his mother.

"They say it was a car accident. But, I am not so sure because I was in the car with her. It was horrific. The car was accordioned. As clear as day I remember her ripping, the door off and pulling me out. I remember not being able to see out of one eye because of blood. My hand was nearly severed. And the bone in my leg sticking out my left thigh. She said something in Latin I think and this purple light came out her hands. When she did it she looked younger and even more beautiful than I ever remember seeing her be. Anyway, after that, I passed out. When I woke up, the car was on fire and my mother gone. I was always told myself I imagined all that but I doubt it more and more the older I get especially lately, it is as if the memory is getting clearer. Every time, I tried to broach it with my late father, he always changed the subject or gave me I dare you to say another word look and I would drop it. All that did was feed my anger and rebellion."

"I can see why. Nothing more frustrating than not getting answers from those who should know better than to lie to you."

"I have had plenty of opportunity to find out but apart of me doesn't want to know. Especially after my Gran made this comment about her after I told her what I thought I saw."

"What did she say?"

"'No matter how she pretended otherwise, I could always sensed your mother was much more than a mere linguist. I tried to suss out what but she passed every test with muster except one."

"Don't hold me in suspense, man, what?"

"It the oddest thing. I do not remember. It was on the tip of my tongue-"

"I like the tip of your tongue," she flirted.

He blushed but said in whiny voice, "I am serious. It is like someone took it out my mind."

Buffy felt things were getting heavy and she could resist the urge to attempt to lighten things.

"So, your mom was she a cunning linguist," no matter how insensitive.

He snorted; took his arms from around her and folded them no matter how much it actually hurt to.

Without turning around, she could feel his annoyed frustration almost anger come off him in waves.

"See, this is why I do not share. I tell you one thing. A little something and you take it and make it . . . you know what you just did."

With her foot, she let the water out the tub. She remained silent. Moving her feet to expedite the water draining out. When it was nearly done, she turned and faced him. She kissed him deeply as she mounted him.

Giles made little attempt to fight her off. One thing about it, she was not dry anymore.

With her eyes closed shut and on a moan and half way there, she sighed, "I am sorry."

He put his hands on her waist and gripped tightly into her flesh, his short nails digging in. She liked this and told him to grip, "Tighter."

Matching her pump for pump, he growled, "I forgive you."

She opened her eyes and wanted to say I love you but instead pressed her face against his but closed her eyes again. He caught her lips in a kiss. He had seen the intention of her unspoken words in her eyes.

That is why she keeps her eyes closed, he smiled at the realization.

Two hours passed.

Buffy was on first name basis with the Chinese delivery service a block or so over from where she lived. When the handsome delivery boy arrived there, Giles answered the door topless since Buffy had on his top.

He laughed at the sight of them which caused Buffy to walk over to Giles. She pressed his body against hers, got on her tippy-toes and kissed him like Michael did Lisa Marie at the VMAs. During this time, she reached in his pocket grabbed his wallet, took out forty dollars and threw it at the delivery boy and slammed the door in his face.

"Asshole," she said pulling away.

Before he could respond, there was a knock on the door.

"Please let me explain, Miss Anne," the delivery boy explained through the door.

Buffy sighed and touched the doorknob. Giles pit his hand on top of hers and said, "Ignore him, love."

She blushed at being called love them said, "What? Is he going to do, kick my ass?"

He nodded his head as if to say you have a point then she opened the door.

"I want to offer you an apology. I was not laughing at you. Either of you. I am in fact happy for you, Anne. You always look so miserable when I come over here. When he answered the door and hell even when I took the order, you sounded cheerful. I like you. I am glad you someone that puts a smile across that angel face even if it was not me. So," he handed her back the money.

Then asked, "Do you want to try this again?"

A look of shame crossed her brow while Giles was not all that convinced.

With his wallet still in hand, she added five dollars to the forty and gave it to him.

"Sorry, Dingbang," Buffy said.

Giles let out a laugh.

"Dingbang? You have the audacity to judge people and your name is Dingbang?"

"I have you know Dingbang means protects his people in Chinese."

"You could have just said it meant king," Giles snorted.

She groaned at both of them.

"Okay, boys, both of you are pretty. Seriously. Now, go, Dingbang. See you tomorrow more than likely."

He nodded then she closed the door.

"Is it at all racist that I think Dingbang looks more Mexican than Chinese?" Buffy asked laughing.

"No. Sometimes they look similar. They have similar ancestry. The first Native Americans crossed the Bering Strait thousands of years ago from Asia. Except he is kind of tall. So, he is definitely not first generation whatever he is. His family has been here a while," he commented sitting on her couch and setting the food on the table.

"You are right. You are the racist one," she razzed.

He glared at her with condemnation and said grimly, "I been accused of a lot things in my day but racism has never been one."

"Damn, chill. People say I do not have a sense of humor. Lighten up. You just got some twice. Hell, the second time you even got to bareback. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed probably more than you did-"

"I doubt that," he said trying not to smirk at the fact she made her made her come at least three times.

"I have always been under the impression guys were really into that," she fanned essentially reiterated to chill. She did so with his wallet.

"So, you're not giving that back are you?" He asked.

"You never did tell me your birthday," she said in singsong.

"And I am not," he hunched looking straight ahead with his pursed in a coy smile and reaching for the food.

She opened his wallet and rifled through it for his identification.

She began to become frustrated until she stumbled upon an old photograph. It was clearly him when he was barely a couple years than her.

Aw, he used to have a sweet face. All pink and pouty, she thought. And judging by the clothes, it was the late seventies, early eighties maybe. She noticed it was folded in half. She unfolded it and her mouth flew open.

He did not notice as he dug in. He was hungrier than even he realized.

She jetted up and went into the bedroom to get something.

She moved so quickly, his flapped about like a ponytail making her wasy to see her derriere underneath which caught his peripheral vision.

"You are not going to find my id in there. I knew you would look," he laughed.

She came back with what looked like a photo album.

"That day I sensed you watching me on the roof, do you remember seeing me talk to someone? Young, pretty black. Not that that matters but still."

He nodded.

"A couple weeks ago when you drugged me, did you happen to see a folded up piece of lavender paper? It may have looked like a menu."

"Yeah, sure. I saw it two days ago when I cleaned out my car."

"Can you go get it for me?"

"Uh, I threw it away. But, I still the trash. It was new bag so I did not throw it out."

"Yeah. That does me no good. Did she look familiar to you?"

"No. Why should she? What does this have to do with anything? Food is getting cold. The reheat is never as good as the first heat," he knew exactly who she was talking about. After all, she completed the obstacle course quicker than Buffy did.

She rolled her eyes at him. She wondered why he was so cagey all of a sudden.

"Her name is Odessa Reggie. You see, she and I grew up as next door neighbors in L.A. She became my best friend. She was a little older and popular. I idolized her. In fact, the two of us looked a lot alike. They used to call us the checkerboard twins. Because I am white and she's black kinda and has red hair and her eyes are green like mine. It was weird and stupid but we did not mind because we do, did bare a resemblance. She would joke and said I was borrowing her face because she had it first. She was, is two years older than me. We were even blood sisters. Then right afterwards, things changed between us. She became distant. Then right after that, I was called. I wanted to tell her but before I could, she was gone. Her family cleared out overnight. Literally. I was devastated. Other than Merrick, I was all alone."

"I am sorry. You did not deserve that."

She hunched an grabbed a dumpling out his carton, "Then after I burned down the school, I ran away for a while and some other stuff happened then when I returned home I found out she had died. She had a funeral and everything. Or so my mom heard. She had been invited but did not want to attend without me. She assumed it was cancer because they moved to Memphis."

"St. Jude's Children's Hospital?"

"These are good," she said of the dumplings resisting the urge to cry.

"So, she is not dead. You think she's possessed or an imposter?"

"No. Maybe. It felt like her. She could sense I was different. I could tell she really wanted to tell me something. We were going to meet but you intervened and that never happened," she was mad at him about this. She felt like she would never see her again.

"I was trying to help you," he said solemnly.

"I know. Want to see what she looked like?"

He shook his head yes.

She opened her photo album and took the pic from his wallet and placed them side by side and passed it to him.

"Please tell me, this is not the same person."

"Her name was Zenobia. I used to call her No."

"Well?"

He had horror then sadness then anger in his eyes and said, "I can't."


	6. Ch 6- Me or Thee

Giles was up pacing. He had been at looking the photographic evidence looking for differences. Other than the hair color- Zenobia had chocolate brown hair while Odessa was a carrot top- the were utterly the same.

"There is something I am missing," he said.

"Like what? She is the same."

"There was always something about her that comes off as special. Other 'll She orange blossom and vanilla. She got this way of always endearing her to. Was she into magic?"

"She was good at magicks. Better than my whole group put together. Watching her, it was clear she was not all human but that was apart of her appeal. She was never explicit about what she was but she did not necessarily used spells to make things happen. She could just speak and things would happen."

"So, her abilities came from the she was a beautiful woman?" She was only half joking.

"It cannot be that simple. Buffy, think."

Buffy remained equally silent on the couch.

She got up and broke the silence ten minutes in.

"What the hell does this mean, you think? Maybe she is a very powerful witch?" Buffy asked taking the photographic evidence back from him.

"How the hell should I know? All I know is, she died as I knew her back in 1976. Maybe this isn't her at all but a relative. How else would one explain the resemblance?"

She was not use to him being so irrational.

"Well, hell, going by that logic, she and I are relatives too because we kind of have the same face."

"You might well be. You do not see people with your face, your mother's face or hers- theirs? Whatever, like yours everyday. You just don't. The world is a lot smaller than it seems."

"Forget Kevin Bacon. Odessa Reggie is the six degrees of separation. How did she die?"

An expression of sadness crossed his brow then he said rather brusquely, "Death."

"Wow. How asshole-ishly vague. What? did you kill her?" Buffy joked.

The look of guilt on his face said it all.

"You did?" She asked.

"We got into an argument and she stormed out. If I had not made her angry, she never would have-" aposiopesis set in. He refused to finish his sentence.

"So, she was your girl?" Buffy asked frowning. She was questioning his attraction to her. Was it because she looked like her. Her ego preferred to think he liked her on her own merit but in reality in was a some combination of both.

He sat down and rubbed his brow.

"I suppose we should look for her."

"I did have her number but," she made a face at him.

"I am not going all the way back to Sunnydale just to retrieve a phone number. There has to be an easier way."

"Willow can look her up."

"I do not know where you are, remember?"

"Then just say it is a lead you are following. You do a spell. That is how you found me."

"Magic has consequences. I can't use it because a number fell out your pocket. It doesn't feel right. You say she is a band?"

Buffy nodded.

"Makes sense. She always loved to sing. Had a heavenly voice. Seven octave range. It was how we met actually. I heard her sing before I saw her face."

"You love her," she said feeling more envious than she thought she should.

"Loved. Past tense."

"Anyway, maybe we should buy a local rag and see if she is playing. You remember the band name?"

"No. But, you know who might know?"

His face asked who.

"D.B. He plays bass and sings in a bunch of bands."

Giles scoffed, "Of course, he does."

"I have his number. What time is it?"

"Almost ten."

"They close at eleven. We could just make it if we dress now. He would definitely know something."

"On second thought, there maybe a spell," he grunted really liking the you man.

"Ha, ha. D.B. is not so bad. He did apologize."

"Something about him isn't right. He has a face well suited for punching. Hard."

She smirked.

Jealous, she thought.

They dressed quickly. She put her hair in a quick bun and threw her hair in a little bun and threw on a little make up.

She looked in the mirror and frowned.

"I am dying my hair back blonde first chance I get," she lamented.

Giles pshawed and said wrapping his arms around her waist, encouraged, "You are beautiful no matter what. However, blonde does match your personality more."

"How so?" She asked.

"You are a ray of sunshine," he said quickly.

"Aww. That was corny and sweet. Come here," she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed.

He said, " We can always investigate tomorrow."

"It is late," she giggled.

They preceded to get undressed and do what smitten couples do.

Later in the night, she was asleep on his chest. Her dream started off sweetly enough.

It was Odessa, looking the way she looked when she was twelve. To be honest when Buffy thought of her that is how she always looked.

She was dressed in old timey clothes- a long white gingham dress and her head tied up in a red turban with tufts of auburn, curly hair peeking under it.

She was in a barren field. Every time she took a step a rows of daffodils and purple hydrangeas would pop up and behind each row a baby..

There seven rows, seven babies. Each baby looked same but with varying ethnicities and complexions

The girl stopped and pick up on of the babies. She broke the fourth wall and asked with a bit of an Irish brogue , "Oi, how many are me and which one is thee?"


End file.
